- 1). Immediately before preparing fresh produce wash your hands thoroughly with both soap and water.
- 2). Combat food-borne illness by cooking foods thoroughly and keeping foods clean. To help protect yourself and your family from illness, follow these simple safe-handling tips:
+ Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged.
+ Bag fresh produce separately from meat, poultry and seafood when packing them to take home from the market.
+ Refrigerate perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
+ Don't let perishable foods sit at room temperature more than two hours before refrigerating.
+ Wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.
+ Cut away damaged areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing or eating.
+ Discard produce that looks rotten.
+ Thoroughly wash all produce before eating, cutting, peeling or cooking.
+ Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a produce brush while rinsing.
+ Drying produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel may further reduce bacteria that may be present.
+ Those at risk of food-borne illness (young children, elderly, and those with a weakened immune system) should avoid raw sprouts. Rinsing sprouts does not make them safe. Only thorough cooking reduces risk.
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